Habitual snoring and sleep bruxism in a paediatric outpatient population in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of habitual snoring and sleep bruxism in children attending the out-patient clinics of a paediatric department.

METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional survey of parents was conducted with questionnaire administered by paediatric nurses. Parents were recruited when they brought their children to the out-patient clinics. Sex and age were recorded. Presence and absence of habitual snoring and sleep bruxism were noted. Types of diseases that brought the children to the out-patient clinics were also noted.

RESULTS: Twenty-nine of the 200 recruited children were noted to have habitual snoring (14.5%, 95% C.I. 10%-20%). The mean age of these habitual snorers was 6.2 +/- 3.1 years. For habitual snorers, male to female ratio was 1.4 to 1. Sixteen of these 28 children accepted a sleep polysomnographic examination. Eleven children were found to have snoring during the night of study. Two were found to have obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Sleep bruxism was found in 17 children (8.5%, 95% C.I.5%-13%). Sleep bruxism was closely related to habitual snoring as 16 out of the 17 children with sleep bruxism were also habitual snorers (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: Habitual snoring and sleep bruxism were commonly found in children attending paediatric clinics. Paediatricians should be aware of these problems and be prepared to deal with them. Habitual snoring and sleep bruxism were closely related. Further studies into this relationship is needed.